Natural aqueous composition and machine for dry-cleaning textiles and leathers

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an aqueous composition for dry cleaning and/or degreasing textiles and/or leathers, which composition is natural and biodegradable. The dry cleaning composition of the invention comprises in particular essential oils and surface active agents, it is etherizable and micronizable, and its ingredients are exclusively of vegetable origin. The invention also relates to a method of dry cleaning and/or degreasing textiles and/or leathers implementing the above-described aqueous composition, the method comprising a succession of stages of tumbling the textiles and/or leathers in a leaktight enclosure, wherein one of the stages consists in impregnating the textiles and/or leathers with a small quantity of an aqueous composition by means of pneumatic atomization at a size no more than 50 μm, for a limited duration, and at a temperature of about 35° to 45° C., until the total weight gain is about 5% to 70%. The invention also relates to a machine for dry cleaning and/or degreasing textiles and/or leathers by implementing said method.

The present invention relates to the field of dry cleaning textiles andleathers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dry cleaning makes it possible to clean textiles (garments andfurnishing fabrics) that are unsuitable for washing in water. Thisapplies to leather, fabrics that are thick, plush, or that crumpleeasily, such as, for example coats, trousers, suits; certain skins; wooltextiles that can become felted; and certain categories of garments orfurnishing fabrics that present fragile stitching and thermofusing thatcan move, as stated in the care label. Dry cleaning is carried out byprofessionals, under precisely regulated technical conditions and incompliance with various obligations to the consumer.

Dry cleaning professionals have high-performance machines circulating acleaning solvent around a closed circuit. Prior art dry cleaningmachines comprise an enclosure containing a drum holding textilearticles for cleaning, the drum operating in continuous orback-and-forth rotation, and said solvent being introduced into saidenclosure.

The solvent in most widespread use throughout the world isperchlorethylene, which presents the advantage of being highly effectivein dissolving spots and dirt (grease, fats) on garments. Nevertheless,the use of perchlorethylene raises numerous problems associated with theenvironment (destroying the ozone layer, polluting ground water), withhuman health (the presence of carcinogenic substances), and with usersafety.

The increasing preoccupation of public authorities concerning thepossibly harmful effects of perchlorethylene on human health has ledrecently to the European Union adopting a Directive (2001/59/EC)deciding to replace the heading specifying risk R40 “possibleirreversible effects” with “limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect”.This amendment is to appear in material safety data sheets (MSDS) and onthe labels of packaging.

Alternative dry cleaning methods have been proposed, comprising inparticular the use of:

solvents based on hydrocarbons;

aqueous formulations; and

semi-aqueous systems.

Nevertheless, such alternative methods themselves also presentdisadvantages. Thus, solvents based on hydrocarbons can catch fire.Their consequences on human health have not yet been sufficientlyinvestigated. Furthermore, aqueous formulations generate largequantities of contaminated water that must then be treated.

An acceptable solution would be to use aqueous dry cleaning formulationsthat are natural and biodegradable.

Such formulations, that preserve the environment, have already beenproposed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,778 describes an aqueous detergentcomposition comprising one or more detergents selected from the groupcomprising essential oils and essential oil ingredients that have beenisolated from such oils or synthesized, a surface active agent, and anenzyme. Nevertheless, the detergent composition described is exclusivelyfor home use and not for industrial scale dry cleaning.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the object of the present invention is to propose anaqueous dry cleaning and/or degreasing composition for textiles andleathers that is natural and biodegradable, while retaining excellentcleaning properties.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a dry cleaning machineimplementing said method.

In a third aspect, the invention concerns a method of dry cleaningand/or degreasing textiles and leathers implementing said composition.

In its first aspect, the object of the invention is fully achieved bymeans of the aqueous dry cleaning and/or degreasing composition fortextiles and leathers, preferably prepared from a concentrate,comprising in particular an essential oil and a surface active agent,the composition being etherizable and micronizable to smaller than 50micrometers (μm), and the ingredients of the composition beingexclusively of vegetable origin.

The term “micronizable” is used in the context of the present inventionto mean the property whereby a liquid can be reduced into fine particlesby spraying, in particular by pneumatic atomization. The term “pneumaticatomization” means spraying a liquid by devices known as automaticpneumatic atomizers that mix air and the liquid for spraying so as togive a jet that is fully atomized. The term “etherizable” is used in thecontext of the present invention to mean the quality whereby a compoundis highly volatile. As a result, the composition of the invention—whenit is micronized—presents very high ability to penetrate into textilesand to disperse, which ability is close to that of a solvent, therebyachieving dry cleaning.

The composition of the invention presents the following characteristics:micronizable to smaller than 50 μm, high cleaning power, detergent,degreasing, softening, antiseptic, regenerating, perfuming, andadaptable to variations in temperature and pressure.

Said composition comprises extracts from plants (leaves, flowers,fruits, seeds, roots), trees (bark), legumes, cereals, and marine plants(seaweed). Consequently, the composition of the invention is 100%natural (no toxic effects on human health), 100% biodegradable (noharmful effects on the environment), and it does not catch fire (no riskfor user safety).

The aqueous cleaning and/or degreasing composition of the inventioncomprises at least one essential oil and at least one surface activewashing agent suitable for making essential oils soluble in water.

In preferred manner, said essential oil is selected from the groupcomprising the essential oils of: Cymbopogon; Mentha piperata;Eucalyptus citriodora; Eugenia; and Citrus limonum. Said surface activeagent is preferably selected from the group comprising: extracts ofwheat, soy bean, palm, cocoa, coprah, olive, fucus.

For an aqueous dry cleaning and/or degreasing composition that ispreferably prepared from a concentrate, said concentrate, in a variantembodiment, comprises:

at least 100% pure and natural essential oil representing 0.5% to 10% byweight; and

at least one detergent and emulsifying surface active agent that isexclusively of vegetable origin, that is well tolerated by the skin, andthat represents 5% to 20% by weight.

In a variant embodiment, it further comprises:

at least one compound such as oils, vegetable glycerin, and floralwaters, representing 5% to 90% by weight;

at least one fruit alcohol, tree gum, and natural wax representing 0.5%to 30% by weight;

at least one additive having one or more of the following properties:humectant, antistatic, antioxidant, antibacterial, sanitizing,fluidifying, softening, bulking, and preserving, representing 0.1% to10% by weight; and

at least one enzymatic compound and/or salt representing 0.05% to 10 byweight.

It may also comprise other molecules of vegetable origin that are notincluded in the above-specified categories, having properties thatimprove the process of dry cleaning by pneumatic atomization.

The cleaning and/or degreasing qualities of the aqueous composition aredue in particular to the presence of the essential oils and the surfaceactive agents, which serve to make the essential oils soluble in water.The essential oils are capable of quickly dissolving fats and liquid orsolid polymers. Their cleaning capacity is increased in the presence ofenzymes: the emulsifying action of essential oils facilitates contactbetween enzymes and liquefied fats, and, consequently, facilitates thedegradation action of the enzyme. In order to ensure good cleaningactivity for the enzymes present in the cleaning composition of theinvention, its pH should be maintained in the range 6 to 8.

The above-described concentrate does not contain:

genetically modified organisms or derivatives of genetically modifiedorganisms;

ingredients exposed to ionizing radiation;

ingredients subjected to the ethoxylation process;

ingredients containing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA);

ingredients of animal origin;

petrochemical ingredients; and

organophosphate ingredients.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a machine for dry cleaningtextiles and leathers by implementing said method. The dry cleaningmachine of the invention comprises: a drum mounted in an enclosure thatis closed by a door in leaktight manner; heater means; suction means;filter means; and control means. In characteristic manner, the machinehas pneumatic atomization means suitable for spraying droplets of theabove-described aqueous composition and of size no greater than 50 μminto the inside of the enclosure for a limited duration, and at atemperature less than or equal to 45° C., until the garment has taken upa small amount of extra weight, of the order of 5% to 70%.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to a method of dry cleaningand/or degreasing textiles and/or leathers implementing theabove-described aqueous composition. In characteristic manner, themethod comprises a succession of stages of tumbling the textiles and/orleathers in an enclosure, including a stage which consists inimpregnating the textiles and/or leathers with a small quantity of anaqueous composition by pneumatic atomization to a size no greater than50 μm for a limited duration and at a temperature less than or equal to45° C., until there is a small gain in weight, preferably of the orderof 5% to 70%.

Preferably, the weight gain of the garments lies in the range 5% to 40%.

The cleaning method of the invention can be categorized as a drycleaning method because:

the washing composition used is an etherizable and micronizable solutionhaving high conductivity, close to that of a solvent; and

the weight gain of the garments during washing is limited to 70%,whereas in water cleaning methods, garments increase in weight by atleast 100% during washing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The cleaning concept on which the described dry cleaning method isbased, and the operation of the dry cleaning machine implementing themethod can be better understood on reading the following descriptionmade with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section view of a dry cleaning machinefor implementing said method;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section (FIG. 2A) andcross-section (FIG. 2B) of the door of the dry cleaning machine fittedwith an atomization nozzle;

FIG. 3 shows the circuit for feeding the pneumatic atomization nozzleinstalled on the door of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of additional elements of the dry cleaning machine;and

FIG. 5 shows the main steps in the dry cleaning method of the invention,in schematic form.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, the dry cleaning machine 1 in accordance withthe invention for cleaning textiles and leathers—referred to below as“articles”—comprises a stainless steel drum 2 without a shaft, andpierced to 50%. The drum 2 is mounted on wheels causing it to turn backand forth inside a totally leaktight enclosure 3, and it is providedwith a plurality of beaters 4, preferably four beaters, for liftingitems being rotated back and forth.

The dry cleaning machine 1 also comprises the following elements:

a closed-circuit ventilation circuit 5 provided with a bypass device 6for opening or closing said ventilation circuit on command;

a motor 7 driving a suction turbine 8;

a filter 9;

an electrical resistance element 10; and

a door 11 facing the drum 2 for use when loading textiles and/orleathers for cleaning (FIG. 2) and for unloading them after cleaning.

The door 11 is frustoconical in shape, projecting out from the enclosure3, and is provided with a pneumatic atomization nozzle 12 of caliberthat is a function of the volume of air inside the machine. The beatersextend longitudinally and project radially towards the inside of thedrum. In the example shown they are constituted by plates in the form ofright trapezoids having a top face that slopes downwards away from thedoor towards the opposite end of the enclosure. This dispositionencourages penetration of the washing composition and ensures that thearticles moving in front of the nozzle are tumbled uniformly. Thus,inside the drum, the articles are caused to move with two differenttypes of movement: circularly—about the axis of rotation of the drum—andlongitudinally.

As shown in FIG. 2, the door 11 is built in the form of a truncatedcone, being characterized by:

an annular rim 13 of inside diameter b and outside diameter c, forpressing in leaktight manner against the outline of the opening forclosing the enclosure;

a flat end wall 14 of diameter a; and

an axial extent d.

The nozzle 12 is mounted centrally in the end wall 14 corresponding tothe smaller portion of the truncated cone. It is thus situated at adistance d from the enclosure 3 that is determined in such a manner asto obtain spray throughout the section of the drum as soon as the sprayenters into the drum level with the rim 13.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these parameters have thefollowing values:

a=220 millimeters (mm);

b=460 mm;

c=510 mm; and

d=300 mm;

the hole in the door 11 corresponding to the nozzle 12 being 30 mm.

As shown in FIG. 3, which shows the circuit 15 for feeding theatomization nozzle 12, the air enters the circuit via an air inlet 16,and then passes through a filter 17. Its pressure is adjusted by meansof a regulator 18. The flow of air in the circuit is controlled by astop cock 19.

In a variant embodiment as shown in FIG. 3A, there is an inlet 20 forthe liquid to be sprayed (washing composition) that is under the controlof a cock 21. After passing through a filter 22, said liquid reaches thenozzle 12 under a pressure that is maintained at a value in the range0.7 bars to 4 bars by a regulator 23. The air and said liquid can bemixed either internally or else externally in order to give a fullyatomized jet. In another variant embodiment, shown in FIG. 3B, theliquid for spraying (washing composition) is brought to the nozzle 12 bysiphoning (siphoning height e) or by gravity. The liquid is sucked intoa feed pipe 24 and then mixed with air, and finally it is atomized.

The cleaning machine is also fitted with the following equipment (FIG.4): a water recovery tank; a condenser; a filter space (these items notshown); a compressor 25 with a 30-liter (L) tank, having a minimumpressure of 6 bars for feeding the nozzle 12; a water softener 26; ametering pump 27; and a tank 28 for the cleaning concentrate (FIG. 4),together with a refrigerator unit and supplies of hot water at 30° C. to80° C. (a coil), and for preparations (these items not shown).

Filtering remains constant from the beginning to the end of the cleaningcycle, and also throughout the drying stage.

In order to operate, the above-described dry cleaning machine requiresmerely a water supply 29 and an electricity outlet. The controls of themachine are to be found on its front face. All of the elements of themachine that come into contact with the washing composition are made ofstainless steel, with the gasket being made of Teflon.

The method of the invention for dry cleaning and/or degreasing textileand/or leather articles comprises the following main stages (cycles) asshown in FIG. 5:

Cycle I: Tumbling Stage:

placement of the articles in the drum 2 of the machine;

airing and tumbling the articles by the drum 2 moving in rotation (backand forth);

ventilation with progressive heating up to 40° C.;

ventilation circuit 5 open-circuit; and

duration in the range 5 minutes (min) to 15 min.

Cycle II: Pneumatic Atomization Stage:

closure of the ventilation circuit 5;

interruption of ventilation and heating;

tumbling maintained;

temperature maintained at about 40° C.;

pneumatically atomizing the washing composition with a particle size ofno more than 50 μm into the drum 2 at the requested moisture setting;and

duration in the range 5 min to 15 min.

Cycle III: Cleaning Stage:

pneumatic atomization;

ventilation;

ventilation circuit 5 kept closed-circuit;

duration in the range 10 min to 20 min; and

temperature maintained at about 40° C.

Cycle IV: Drying Stage:

ventilation circuit 5 open-circuit;

ventilation;

duration in the range 10 min to 20 min; and

temperature maintained in the range 30° C. to 45° C.

Cycle V: Cooling Stage:

heating switched off, temperature lowered to a programmed temperature;

ventilation; and

duration in the range 5 min to 10 min.

In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning method of the invention alsoincludes a pre-spotting step. A pre-spotter can be used: in the machine,on a spot-remover table; on a dummy.

Stages IV and V are brought to an end by using a moisture detector.

The following non-limiting implementations illustrate in greater detailthe above-described method of the invention for dry cleaning and/ordegreasing textiles and/or leathers, and also the operation of themachine implementing said method.

EXAMPLE 1

The method of the invention comprises the following steps:

i) Filling the machine with 5 kilograms (kg) to 90 kg ofarticles—textiles and/or leathers—via the door 9, and then closing thedoor 9; selecting a program; initiating the program (locking the door);starting.

ii) The articles are put into place and aired by the drum rotating backand forth; this tumbling which corresponds to cycle I opens up thetextiles and/or leathers and de-dusts them, with the coarsest dustparticles being eliminated; duration is in the range 5 min to 10 min,and operation takes place with ventilation switched on (with progressiveheating); the circuit 5 is open-circuit.

iii) The circuit is closed so that the drum 2 becomes totally leaktight;ventilation is stopped; heating is maintained at about 40° C.

iv) Particles of the washing composition having a maximum size of 50 μmare pneumatically atomized into the drum 2 via the nozzle 12; theconcentration of the washing composition lies in the range 5% to 20% ofthe described cleaning concentrate; duration lies in the range 5 min to15 min depending on the requested moisture setting; temperature of about40° C. (essential oils are more volatile at this temperature, therebyachieving better penetration into garments and thus higher qualitycleaning). The water+concentrate moisture level (in the range 5% to 70%)relative to the weight of articles varies depending on the compositionof the fibers: wool, cotton, or synthetic. Pneumatic atomization of theconcentrate, corresponding to cycle II, leads to the garments increasingin weight by about 5% to 70%.

In a preferred implementation, the increase in weight of the garmentslies in the range 5% to 40%.

v) The heater unit 10 is started and temperature is maintained at about40° C.; ventilation (tumbling) as in cycle III serves to maintainuniform circulation of heat over the articles that have absorbed thesubstance in this confined and sealed medium; duration lies in the rangeabout 10 min to 20 min, depending on the textiles and/or leathers to betreated (see possible programs).

vi) The circuit 5 is opened, ventilation is maintained for a durationlying in the range 10 min to 20 min; and the temperature of the circuitis maintained at about 40° C. for drying as in cycle IV.

vii) The heater unit 10 is switched off and the articles cooled as incycle V; duration lying in the range 5 min to 10 min depending on theprogram.

viii) The drum 2 is stopped (desired level of cooling reached); the door11 is released (flashing signal).

The back-and-forth rotation of the drum 2 is generally constant from thebeginning to the end of the program. The direction of rotation of thedrum 2 can be reversed every 30 seconds, for example. Continuousfiltering (from the beginning to the end of the requested program) takesplace in a completely closed circuit. The dry cleaning machine operatesin a closed circuit by condensation.

EXAMPLE 2

Dry Cleaning Test General information Material of the variousWool/viscose/cotton/mixed articles fibers Material weight 4 kg Totalduration 50 min Moisture content 30% Volume of water/concentrate 1.2 L +0.1 L = 1.3 L (aqueous solution) % concentrate 7.7%  1 - Tumbling stageTumbling time 5 min Inside air temp. at 5 min 37° C. Solution temp. 20°C. pH 6.5 2 - Pneumatic atomization stage Spray time 10 min Start insidetemp. 31° C. Inside temp. at 5 min 29° C. Inside temp. at 10 min 27° C.Air pressure 1.3 Liquid pressure 0.7 Flow rate L/h 12.5 pH at 1 min 7.224 - Cleaning stage Cleaning time 15 min Start inside temp. 37.5° C.Inside temp. at 6 min 38.7° C. Inside temp. at 15 min 36° C. pH at 15min 6.95 5 - Drying stage Drying time 15 min Inside temp. 36.6° C.Inside temp. at 10 min 38° C. pH at 1 min 7.25 6 - Cooling stage Coolingtime 5 min Material temp. 27° C. Moisture content OK for ironing

The moisture detector triggers the end of hot drying and also theoverall end of the process.

[NB.: moisture is monitored continuously in stage 4.

Analysis of Results

Broadcloth wool jacket: rumpled, thermofused, dimensions unchanged, nofelting.

Impeccable Chanel wool jacket.

Impeccable viscose dress, striking, state as though ironed.

Wool jacket of impeccable quality.

State of residues: dry, clean fibers, no particular odor.

Other tests, carried out on articles comprising wool mixtures,polyester, 100% cotton, gave the following results:

on a pale cotton jacket, having a very dirty collar, dirt was found todisappear except for an encrustation due to wear from the wearer;

on a collar of leather in poor state, the cleaned leather was observedto have remained flexible and was not depigmented; and

on a wool jacket, the thermofused pieces did not move.

Articles cleaned using the dry cleaning method described above are moreflexible, less faded, and present an odor that is slight and agreeable.

The advantages obtained by using the above-described method of drycleaning and/or degreasing textiles and/or leather are multiple:

replacement of perchlorethylene, and thus no risk for the environment orfor the health and safety of users;

elimination of the step of soaking garments;

textiles impregnated with a small (measured) quantity of a washingcomposition by micro-spraying;

no degradation of fibers;

no degradation of thermofused pieces; and

no shrinking or felting of articles, including PVC yokes or linings,coatings and mixtures of various different coatings, . . . .

1. An aqueous composition for dry cleaning and/or degreasing textilesand/or leathers, the composition comprising in particular essential oilsand surface active agents, the composition being etherizable andmicronizable to less than 50 μm, and the ingredients of the compositionbeing exclusively of vegetable origin.
 2. An aqueous dry cleaningcomposition according to claim 1, including at least one entirely pureand natural essential oil selected from the group comprising theessential oils of: Cymbopogon, Mentha piperata, Eucalyptus citriodora,Eugenia, Citrus limonum.
 3. An aqueous dry cleaning compositionaccording to claim 1, including at least one surface active agent ofexclusively vegetable origin, well-tolerated by the skin, selected fromthe group comprising: extracts of wheat, soy bean, palm, cocoa, coprah,olive, fucus.
 4. An aqueous dry cleaning composition according to claim1, including at least one component such as: oils, vegetable glycerin,and floral waters.
 5. An aqueous dry cleaning composition according toclaim 1, including at least one fruit alcohol, tree gum, and naturalwax.
 6. An aqueous dry cleaning composition according to claim 1,including at least one additive having one or more of the followingproperties: humectant, antistatic, antioxidant, antibacterial,sanitizing, fluidifying, softening, bulking, and preserving.
 7. Anaqueous dry cleaning composition according to claim 1, includingenzymatic compounds and/or salts.
 8. An aqueous dry cleaning compositionaccording to claim 1, having pH lying in the range 6 to
 8. 9. An aqueousdry cleaning composition according to claim 1, prepared from aconcentrate, wherein said concentrate preferably comprises: a) at least100% pure and natural essential oil representing 0.5% to 10% by weight;b) at least one detergent and emulsifying surface active agent ofexclusively vegetable origin, that is well tolerated by the skin,representing 5% to 20% by weight; c) at least one ingredient such asoils, vegetable glycerin, and floral waters, representing 5% to 90% byweight; d) at least one fruit alcohol, tree gum, and natural waxrepresenting 0.5% to 30% by weight; e) at least one additive having oneor more of the following properties: humectant, antistatic, antioxidant,antibacterial, sanitizing, fluidifying, softening, bulking, brightening,and preserving, representing 0.1% to 10% by weight; and f) at least oneenzymatic compound and/or salt representing 0.05% to
 10. 10. A method ofdry cleaning and/or degreasing textiles and/or leathers, the methodcomprising a succession of stages of tumbling the textiles and/orleathers in a leaktight enclosure, wherein one of the stages consists inimpregnating the textiles and/or leathers with a small quantity of anaqueous composition according to claim 1, by pneumatic atomization to nomore than 50 μm, for a limited duration, and at a temperature less thanor equal to 45° C., until there is a weight gain of about 5% to 70%. 11.A dry cleaning method according to claim 10, comprising the followingstages: tumbling; pneumatic atomization of the washing aqueouscomposition; cleaning; drying; cooling.
 12. A method according to claim10, wherein the weight gain of the garments lies in the range 5% to 40%.13. A machine for dry cleaning textiles and leathers, the machinecomprising: a drum provided with beaters mounted in a leaktightenclosure; heater means; suction means; filter means; control means; anda door, the machine including means for producing within the enclosurepneumatic atomization at no more than 50 μm of a washing aqueouscomposition according to claim 1 during a limited period of time, and ata temperature less than or equal to 45° C., until the garments havegained about 5% to 70% in weight.
 14. A dry cleaning machine accordingto claim 7, wherein the drum is in rotation, changing direction inalternation from the beginning to the end of the program.
 15. A drycleaning machine according to claim 13, wherein the direction ofrotation of the drum is reversed every 30 seconds.
 16. A cleaningmachine according to claim 13, wherein filtering takes placecontinuously and in a closed circuit from the beginning to the end ofthe program.
 17. A cleaning machine according to claim 13, wherein thebeaters are disposed obliquely flaring apart away from the nozzle.
 18. Acleaning machine according to claim 13, wherein the door is providedwith a single pneumatic atomization nozzle situated in the centralportion of the door.
 19. A cleaning machine according to claim 13,wherein the door is of frustoconical shape, projecting outwards from theenclosure such that the nozzle is situated at a distance d from theenclosure.